Jody Ellis

Screenplay Finalist
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"Trophy"

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Originally from Alaska, I moved to Las Vegas, NV two years ago. 
 
Your script stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your story and why did you write a script instead of a short story or a novel?
After forays into both novel writing and journalism, I started writing screenplays several years ago, and quickly realized that this was my medium. My script, Trophy, is loosely based on the life of my grandmother. I’d been wanting to tell her story for as long as I could remember, simply because it is an incredible, and barely believable, life story. 
 
How long did it take you to write your script...and what is your writing process? Do you outline...use index cards...white board...or just start with FADE IN?
The first draft of this script took me about four months, off and on. I did a loose outline, which is my normal process, then dove in. I subsequently did several other drafts, got feedback from the readers I trust, and started putting it out on the contest circuit. 
 
What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
Gain representation and see my script(s) get made. 
 
Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
I’m a huge Tarantino fan (who isn’t), as well as Guillermo del Toro, Taylor Sheridan and Greta Gerwig. Television writers I love include Pam Adlon, because she is so damned real, Tina Fey, Amy Schumer, and of course Shonda Rhimes. Anyone who writes good, believable dialogue, and who can take me deep into the characters gets my vote every time. 
 
What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
That’s always such a difficult question for me- I’m not high-brow when it comes to movies or TV, I kind of love all of it.  A few of my favorite movies include The Descendants, 50 First Dates, Hell or High Water, Brokeback Mountain, and The Devil Wears Prada. Television includes Breaking Bad, Ozark, Killing Eve, Better Things, Californication, and Life & Beth. 
 
What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Grow a thick skin, because rejection WILL happen, it’s just part of this world. Don’t be afraid to put your work out there (I promise, no one wants to steal it!) and don’t get ahead of yourself – and by that I mean don’t start trying to land a manager when you haven’t even finished the script yet. Most of all, keep writing. Always keep writing. 
 
What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
​I’m actually working on a proposal for a book of narrative non-fiction right now, about a female police detective. Also have a couple scripts in the works, one is a fun, campy horror flick, and the other is a thriller.

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